THE reverberations of the terrorist bombing of America are still being felt by East Lancashire's aerospace companies as the industry takes stock of what is feared to be a global slump.

Thousands of East Lancashire engineering jobs depend on the aerospace market which plunged into crisis after the hijackings.

Following last week's announcement from Boeing that it was to axe up to 31,000 jobs, there are signs that aerospace orders from local companies are being cancelled or delayed.

Airlines worldwide are reducing staffing levels and cancelling flights and orders for new planes are being put on hold.

Michael Damms, chief executive of the East Lancashire Chamber of Commerce, has no doubts that engineering companies in the area will feel the draught of the bombing and has repeated his call for Government support.

"The aerospace industry was already going through a period of fundamental change," he said.

"The bombings in America have accelerated that process and manufacturing companies in East Lancashire need help now from the Government to remain competitive.

"Competition in the industry is likely to get tougher which means that companies like BAE and Rolls-Royce might look at cheaper markets like the Czech Republic and Brazil for components."

One East Lancashire engineering company has already had two aerospace orders put on hold in the wake of the terrorist attacks.

"There has been a knee-jerk reaction to the events in America," said the managing director, who asked not to be named for commercial reasons.

"We have had two major contracts put back and we do not know if they have been cancelled or postponed.

"Replacing the work will not be easy, but we have no option but to go out and find some new contracts."

At BAE Systems, which employs 10,000 people at its Lancashire sites at Samlesbury and Warton, it is business as usual.

But a spokesman for the company admitted it was impossible to predict the long-term consequences of the US bombings.

BAE is a key partner in the Airbus programme and around 450 people at Samlesbury work on the airliner.

"Airbus production is going ahead as normal, but at the moment it is difficult to say what the likely impact is going to be, " he said.

More than 50 East Lancashire engineering companies are members of the Nelson-based North West Aerospace Alliance.

Chairman Dennis Mendoros, who runs Euravia Engineering at Kelbrook, is demanding Government action to support the industry.

"The extraordinary events of the last week or so have led to a critical point being reached," he said. Immediate support for our sector is the only real way to help in what is a very difficult and challenging phase."

Alliance members companies in East Lancashire include Accrington Grinding; Accurate Cutting Services, Accrington; Aero and Industrial Technology, Burnley; Allied Aeroprecision, Blackburn; Andrew Muirhead, Burnley; Bright Spark Precision Engineering, Nelson; Brookhouse Holdings, Darwen; Burnley Grinding Services; C & C Engineering, Nelson; Callender Aeropart, Accrington; Castle Metals, Blackburn; Cleveland Guest, Colne; CMA Tools, Burnley; Colne Anodising; Contour CNC Engineering, Nelson; Craven Precision Engineering, Earby; ELE Advanced Technologies, Colne; Engage, Blackburn; Euravia Engineering; Fort Vale Engineering, Nelson; Graham Engineering, Nelson; Hurel-Hispano, Burnley; Hycrome Europe, Burnley; Intercraft Engineers, Nelson; Lex Multipart, Chorley; Lynx Engineering, Nelson; MB Aerospace, Burnley; Nelson Quality Welders; Northern Technologies, Nelson; PDS Engineering, Nelson; Power Jet Systems, Nelson; Precision Parts Engineering, Blackburn; Precision Polymer Engineering, Blackburn; Protool Precision Engineering, Nelson; Regal Precision Engineering, Colne; Rolls-Royce, Barnoldswick; Royal Ordnance, Chorley; Silicone Engineering, Blackburn; Sparta, Rawtenstall; Stanworth Engineers, Burnley; Straigvht Line Engineering, Nelson; T & R Precision, Colne; Pendle Manufacturing Group, Burnley; Walker & Tickle, Chorley; Weston EU, Colne; WJC Plating Jigs, Nelson; Xelflex. Euxton.